The Great Plain
'Cultural background: '''Mainly Nittan, Eledai immigrants (limited and controlled), Yunjin in some major cities '''Language: '''Houshigo, Nittago, Eled amongst the immigrants '''Religious influences: 'Way of the Stars (majority of the population), Path of the Spirits (combined with the Way of the Stars), Eled dualism (amongst the immigrants, not recognized) '''Population: '''Centered around large fortified cities and in rest stops along the trade routes. The territory is fairly vast and the population is really concentrated. '''Original settlement: '''First few settlements date from prior to the Empire, expansion in the region came more and more due to punitive invasions against Eled and increases in the Western Trade. '''Major exports: '''Grain, horses, cattle, coal, Imperial luxury goods '''Major imports: '''Iron and steel, construction materials (stone, lumber), clothing, Western luxury goods Early Imperial Expansion and Eled Conflicts The plains west of Nittan were settled at first by Nittan farmers who were looking for larger pasture for their horses and goats. The fact they now had much more free space compared to the rolling hills and plateaus of Nitta No Kuni also allowed them to dramatically increase the breeding of cows, both dairy and meat/leather variety. The first settlements in the area were mostly giant farms with very little fortification, as nobody expected anyone to raid them. As the Mikado walked North from the jungle into Nitta No Kuni, the few colonies that had been established in the Great Plains simply surrendered without much of a fight, seeing as they were not equipped in any way for battle. The first fortified cities in the region were built to manage the farmland around them. With time, expansion towards the west was made, bringing more and more farmland into the Empire. Problems started with the first contact with the western Eled people around the 4th century. A warlike alliance of kingdoms, Eled saw the Great Plains as easy picking for their raiders and military. Early successes by their forces were mostly due to the lack of military presence by the Empire in the region, as most of the legions were still in the north at that time. As a response, the Nittan regional military moved in defense of their colonies and established fortified bases from which to oppose the raiders. The 6th Legion was quickly mobilized from their R&R station in the Endless Shore as well, under the command of the Wild Stallion, to reinforce the defense in plains. Rather than taking time to reinforce the cities and prepare for siege warfare, the Wild Stallion decided to take the fight to his enemies rather than be bogged down in constant positional warfare like in the north. Using his heavy cavalry and his scouts to track down the Eled, he located some of their bases of operation and eliminated them before the raiders could retaliate. Cut off from their supplies, the Eled soldiers had to retreat or were mowed down by the Nittan armies which followed the Imperial Legion advance. Those former forward bases were transformed in Imperial bases, which in turn became small towns that grew and grew, further expanding the imperial territory in the plains. As other punitive expedition against Eledai and short term wars came and went, the territory of the region expanded up to a point that it became harder and harder to maintain order in the region, which led to a more or less finalization of the borders of Eledai and the Great Plains. While conflicts were common over the years, the fact that they were so close to a Western kingdom allowed for easy trade with Eledai, along with other western nations. But the dangers of the road and the risks connected to this trade forced the creation of a special type of merchants who were allowed to carry weapons, which led to the creation of the Chivalrous Organizations across the Empire. Economic Activity Trade is the principal economic activity in the Great Plains, either internal trade with other Imperial provinces or the trade with the Western nations using caravans. The Great Plains produce a very large amount of grain, mostly wheat, barley and corn, but very little rice, which could be seen as a problem in a rice-oriented economy like that of the Empire, but the sheer amounts produced in the huge farms across the plains makes up for much of the rice-deficit of the region, and has driven up the value of the Wheat and Corn koku over the years, with the Barley koku always being worth very little. The Great Plains is also the center of the cattle production in the Empire, with large ranches taking up part of the land and their specialist cow herders protecting the beasts. Great Plain horse herds are also fairly common, and while they are not as beautiful and powerful as the horses from the North, they have become a cheap alternative for cavalry forces in most of Nittan, Midlands and the Endless Shores. Very recently, near the western border of the Plains, coal mines have been opened after learning the expertise from Eled immigrants, leading to the production of this simple, powerful fuel at much higher rate than before. Culture and population While not uniform, the population of the Great Plains is primarily of Nittan origin, with very little Tarigani or Yunjin influences. This makes the locals very close to Nitta No Kuni, and with the recent uprising in the Nittan capital, there are concerns as to what will happen in the region. While many of the old Nittan traditions are still present in the people of the Great Plain, like the presence of an agora in most towns for debates along with a very rigid school system for the youth, there are some differences between the two groups culturally as well. Those who live on the plains are far more likely to wear the kimono rather than the toga, as an example, and the sense of attachment to the Imperial crown is far more developed to them as a frontier nation. Personal protection is very important to the people on the Great Plains, and it is very rare for even a peasant to walk around unarmed while he is outside of his residence. A few traditions were also taken from the Eledai over the year, like the prayers towards the sun in the morning rather than at a temple, and the growing taboo about eating shellfish. Locals are also far more likely to drink alcohol made from barley and hops rather than rice or grape, and most meals are accompanied with various forms of bread rather than rice. Earthen tones are usually more popular as far as clothing goes, along with wearing various forms of hats to match your clothes. One of the major issues in the Plains is the presence of illegal Eled immigrants near the border (and now deeper in Imperial territory). With the near collapse of the Eledai kingdom after the Kindai invasions and its near constant lack of food, it is only normal that the citizens of the kingdom are looking for somewhere else to live, especially a place with as much food and work as the Plains, but the fact they are outside the Celestial Order and do not have a family record makes things very difficult for local authorities to properly manage them. Various Chivalrous Organizations have taken a liking to Eled citizens (especially how desperate some of them are) while other end up being adopted in villages and added to family record, but this is still only a small part of the migrant population. Worshipping an omnipresent celestial being rather than spirits (which they view as evil beings, for some reason), their religious view is quite drastically opposed to most of the Empire. There are Eled citizens of the Empire, coming from territory that was occupied over the year, but those were mostly absorbed in the Celestial Order and many of them have converted to more classical religions, which puts them at odd with this new wave of immigrants. Architecture on the plains is quite varied, but many of the cities are built following the Yunjin style of fortified towns, with tall, thick walls with gates in each direction. Inside the city walls, however, the houses and buildings are often quite different, with Nittan-style stone and brick houses standing next to Tarigani-style paper and wood stores. As we move towards the border, some relent of Eled architecture can be seen, from tall, thin spires of prayer towers which were converted into watchtowers by the Imperial forces to the domes on major buildings. Travel poetry is one of the most significant forms of art in the region, and while it follows traditional form and structure, there are also structural changes unique to this form of poetry. Another type of cultural event which is fairly unique to the region are the stampedes, meetings between cattle ranchers where they compete on various ground, trade goods and recipes and are generally enjoying themselves. While more of a merchant and peasant caste event, many samurai and bureaucrats at least go and participate in the festivities, enjoying free food and sometimes acting as impromptu judges in competitions. Threats and military presence Bandits, both local and from Eledai, are a constant threat, which is what led to the creation of the Chivalrous Organizations to protect the trade caravans in the Empire. While many consider them criminal groups now, the original purpose of the Ninkyo was to defend the merchants and their Warrior and Bureaucrat-backed investors. While roaming bandit gangs are viewed very poorly by the locals, the Ninkyo has an incredibly good reputation, and the headquarters of some of the biggest organizations are located in cities across the region. Eledai “bandits” are sometimes actually advanced forces for a military expedition, but with the recent problems in Eled itself, this is now far rarer and those foreign brigands are often deserters from the regular army, looking for an easy prey. Wild animals on the Great Plains are also a threat at times, both to humans and to livestock. While tigers are the dominant great cat in most of the Empire, lions rule the plains, along with the cheetahs which can be seen at times. Jackals and other wild dogs can also be a pain at times, especially for people who own smaller farms and lone travelers. Near the Eled border was the realm of the spotted hyenas, but over the years they have spread more and more towards the heart of the Empire as well. Some gokudo have taken a liking to the brutish beasts and have begun domesticating them as well, against the best judgment of the Bureaucracy. Wild antelopes, prairie dogs, wild pigs and buffaloes make up the rest of the wildlife in the plains. Armies in the Great Plains are divided in 2 types: city forces and strike forces. City Forces are garrisons permanently stationed in a town to protect it against invading forces. A good part of those troops are from ashigaru levies, people defending their homes, and are armed in the typical Tarigani ways, with long spears and bows. Samurai of the city forces are well-armed and armored, trained as unit commanders from the get-go to lead their ashigaru soldiers rather than to fight as separate samurai units. Spears remain a favorite amongst them, preferably the bishamon yari to differentiate themselves, but all of them carry a katana and wakizashi to battle as well, as a status symbol. Modern plate armors, along with sharp-edged katana, have become a common sight on the city walls in recent years. Strike forces, on the other hand, are usually not stationed in a single city, and travel around a region in search for threats for them to eliminate. Almost exclusively composed of cavalry, there are very few ashigaru in the ranks of these forces. Unlike northern cavalry, those strike forces prefer light, mobile cavalry units, capable of responding to any threats in a minimum time. Composed of a fair split between lancer units and horse archers, they are meant to take out raiders and brigands more than engaging other enemy cavalry or heavy infantry. Climate The weather around the region is fairly simple: during the summer, it is hot and it is dry, but the region has enough rivers and lakes to allow good irrigation of the farms and feeding of animals, while the winter is still hot, but humid, with rain coming from the Faceless Jungle and the Jukadai Sea. Most uncultivated land is covered in tall grass, which dries up a bit in summer giving it a golden plain look, dotted with small woods around lakes and ponds. Various Onmyou have theorized that some form of development in the region would make sure it never turns into an actual desert, like the Eledai and Kindai more to the west and north-west, and mahoutsukai have been asked to strike deals with local spirits to make sure that even non-cultivated regions remain in good shapes. While the Midlands and the Endless Shores now have paved streets, the idea having been imported from Nitta No Kuni, the Great Plains still only have dirt trails of various sizes as far as roads goes, with the main “roads” having rest stops at frequent intervals to allow travelers to rest, usually next to a source of water, either artificial or natural. Closer to the Windshorn Mountains and the Iron Shield range, the territory becomes a bit hillier, and the fauna and flora is a bit more diversified, but this region has not been as exploited as most of the Plains over the years. Category:Imperial Province Category:Great Plains